Henry Freudenberg Obituary

Colonel Henry H. Freudenberg (US Army Reserve Retired) Charleston - Colonel Henry H. Freudenberg of Charleston, South Carolina died on December 30, 2019, at the age of 90. Henry was born in Essen, Germany on April 2, 1929. He was the only child of the late Margot Strauss Freudenberg and the late Walter Freudenberg. Henry was the devoted husband of 66 years to the late Maxine Triest Freudenberg. Colonel Freudenberg leaves a legacy of children, Lynn Plait and husband, Sid, of Tempe, Arizona, Nancy Cherson and husband, Brad, of Atlanta, Larry W. Freudenberg and wife, Marsha, of Charleston, and five grandchildren, Lindsey Plait Jones (Christopher), Cara M. Freudenberg (Kathy Weisensel), Marissa Cherson Kandel (Jonathan), Jeremy Cherson (Jo Hee Park-Cunningham); Stephen Triest Freudenberg (Nika) and two beautiful great-grandchildren. A graduate of the High School of Charleston, Henry attended The Citadel, graduating in the class of 1950. He married his childhood sweetheart, Maxine, on January 7, 1951, at Temple Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim (KKBE). Henry was born in Germany just before the rise of the Nazi regime. He lived a traumatic childhood hiding from the Nazis. In 1938, the family moved to Berlin and successfully left Germany in May of 1939. His mother told him not to cry when leaving as to not show the Nazis his tears. The family lived the next year in England as refugees and in 1940 immigrated to Charleston, South Carolina. Henry devoted his life to service for his new country. He agreed to an Army commission as a second lieutenant. He ended his military career in the U.S. Army Reserve as a Colonel earning the American Defense Medal, United Nations Award, Korean Service Medal, Army Reserve Medal with 3 clusters and Meritorious Service Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters. As a civilian, Henry worked from 1952 until 2014 at his father-in-law's insurance agency. He was active in community service and was presented in 2002 with the Order of the Silver Crescent by the Governor of South Carolina. He is a past president of Family Services, Inc; The Hebrew Benevolent Society; the Hebrew Orphans Society; and Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim Temple. This child of the Holocaust felt he had a debt to pay to America for giving him a wonderful life. Of all of his accomplishments, Colonel Freudenberg was most proud of his family; his adoring wife, Maxine (OBM); five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. He and Maxine shared a love of dogs and always had at least one furry child. He leaves behind his beloved lab, Casey, who will go to live the rest of his life with his pal, Boomer, and Henry's wonderful caregiver, Amber. Colonel Freudenberg's funeral will be held Wednesday, January 1, at 11:00 a.m. at the Coming Street Cemetery of Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim. Memorial donations may be made to Lowcountry Lab Rescue, PO Box 13627 Charleston, SC 29422. Arrangements by J. Henry Stuhr, Inc., Downtown Chapel. Visit our guestbook at www.legacy.com/obituaries/ charleston